1. LEED Introduction
The following document is based on information available in 2011. Please note that
this information is subject to change based on decisions made by the USGBC and
GBCI. Check for updates at http://www.usgbc.org/ and http://www.gbci.org/.
What is LEED?
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a third-party certification
program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and
operation of high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and
operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their
buildings' performance. LEED is administered by the United States Green Building
Council (USGBC). For more information on LEED visit http://www.usgbc.org/.
What is the USGBC?
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a non-profit organization committed to
expanding sustainable building practices. USGBC is composed of more than 15,000
organizations from across the building industry that are working to advance
structures that are environmentally responsible, profitable, and healthy places to live
and work. USGBC members include building owners and end-users, real estate
developers, facility managers, architects, designers, engineers, general contractors,
subcontractors, product and building system manufacturers, government agencies,
and nonprofits.
How does LEED work?
In the LEED rating systems, buildings receive points for satisfying green building
requirements in six categories:
• Sustainable Sites
• Energy & Atmosphere
• Water Efficiency
• Materials & Resources
• Indoor Environmental Quality
• Innovation & Design
Categories may vary depending on the specific subset of LEED rating system being
used.
The number of points earned determines the level of the LEED certification: buildings
may be LEED Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum.

2. There are also different LEED rating systems for different types of building projects:
• Building Design and Construction (old New Construction): 2009 LEED BD&C
• Interior Design and Construction (old Commercial Interiors): 2009 LEED ID&C
• Operations and Maintenance (old Existing Buildings): 2009 LEED O&M
• Residential Design and Construction (HOMES): 2009 LEED for HOMES
• Homes (LEED for Homes)
• Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND)
• Market Sector Applications (schools, retail, healthcare, labs & campuses)
What is LEED 2009?
In 2009, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and Green Building Certification
Institute (GBCI) launched LEED Version 3 (LEED v3), the aggregate of three major
changes to LEED: the LEED Green Building Rating System, the LEED Accredited
Professional (LEED AP) Credential, and LEED Online.
The updated rating system, now called LEED 2009, includes realignment across rating
systems, a predictable development cycle, reweighting of credits based on impact, and
regional priority credits. The LEED AP exam now consists of two parts. The first is the
Green Associate exam, which demonstrates general green building knowledge. The
second is a Specialty Exam based on one of the specific LEED rating systems. These
specialties include Operations + Maintenance (O+M), Building Design + Construction
(BD+C), Interior Design + Construction (ID+C), Homes (H), and Neighborhood
Development (ND). And according to USGBC, "the new version of LEED Online is
designed to be faster, smarter, and a better user experience."
Thanks to PPI for providing a 15% discount on LEED study materials for our
community. See what upcoming LEED trainings that we offer.